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My Journey to Vintage & Secondhand

For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved to shop.  Expressing myself through style and hunting for something special brings me so much joy. When I was a kid, my Mom and I would hit the local secondhand clothing store and spend hours going through the racks of clothes, looking for a score. I remember feeling some embarrassment around wearing secondhand and homemade clothing, but looking back, I now appreciate this about my childhood. As a teen, I raided my Mom’s old Levi collection and found a bunch of my Grandpa’s old sweaters that I loved to wear. 

As an adult I entered the professional world and got to a point where I was able to purchase whatever new clothing I wanted. And I did. I loved Nordstrom, Anthropologie and The LOFT. I would relive my days hunting for deals at stores like Ross, Marshall’s and TJ Maxx. Before too long, I accumulated a huge wardrobe that I wore with pride. I’ve always received compliments on my style and I am proud of how I express myself through this medium.

About a decade ago I started to feel unsettled about the crazy amount of clothing and shoes I owned. I realized I had more than I needed and I didn’t like wearing many of my pieces, even though they had been expensive or were from a great brand. I started to think about living with less. The minimalism and capsule wardrobe movement really appealed to me. 

In 2016 I joined Poshmark and began reselling my clothing. I found a lot of success in this and enjoyed styling and photographing my clothing, creating a listing, and then wrapping items up in cute packaging when something sold. I imagined my buyer receiving their package, delighted with the experience of unwrapping their new item and the excellent condition of the clothing item they purchased. It was fun and it made getting rid of clothing I no longer wore much easier. 

A few years later, I started my jewelry business and found a new creative outlet in making jewelry. The same process of styling, photographing and listing the jewelry I made delighted me, and I loved interacting with customers and sending them something special in the mail. I continued selling my own clothing on Poshmark and enjoyed purchasing gently used clothing from other sellers on the platform. I felt good about buying secondhand. I started renting clothing through Rent the Runway and other subscription services to cut back on new clothing purchases. It worked! I finally found a way to enjoy the thrill of shopping, trying new clothing, and thinking my impact was less.

During this time, I began to research and learn about how garments are made and the impact that fashion has on our environment. I’ve learned it’s not good. Making one piece of clothing can involve using thousands of liters of water, chemicals and materials that harm the environment. The person making the garment typically works in a factory across the world, in poor working conditions and for not much money. I downloaded apps like Good On You to learn more about the brands I enjoyed and researched new options upon learning about the lack of sustainability or labor standards.

I’ve continued to cut back on how many new items I buy, care for the clothing I own so it lasts for a long time, buy secondhand, and source new pieces from sustainable brands or local garment makers. I am discontinuing my rental subscriptions after learning that this practice is not the sustainable option I thought it was.

I have spent a lot of effort to educate myself and learn, and I’ve only scratched the surface. The biggest way we as consumers can impact the effect that fashion has on our planet and people is to buy less. But, I also believe that thoughtfully buying secondhand is the way of the future.

Buying secondhand takes a lot more effort than shopping at a retailer with tons of options. If you are style-conscious like I am, and you have something specific in mind, it can take days, weeks or months to find the right item.

Which brings me to the next phase of my business, HolderIndustries. I am launching a second hand reselling business on my website and in my Etsy shop, focusing on vintage clothing, accessories and jewelry – you should check it out! And I will continue to create and curate handmade jewelry and other accessories. I am a creative person who loves to hunt for and curate special items. And I am excited to provide this service to my customers. 

I am still learning, so join me on this journey to become a more conscious consumer. You can follow me on Instagram.

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3 Ways to Clean Your Metal Jewelry

Bring your tarnished brass jewelry back to life with three simple, tried and true methods.

You probably aren’t surprised to learn that I love the look of brass jewelry. Brass anything, really. Depending on how you care for your jewelry, tarnish can quickly appear and cause your metal jewelry to lose its luster. There are some pieces that I don’t mind a little tarnish because I like the way tarnish makes them look. However, some pieces I want to shine and bling. Over the years, I’ve come up with three tried and true methods of cleaning my jewelry. 

But, first, a note on taking care of your jewelry.

The Basics of Jewelry Care

There are things you can do to lengthen the life of luster on your brass jewelry. Tarnish is caused by air, moisture and oil from your skin when you handle the jewelry – to name a few. Tarnish can appear on any metal, but some are more susceptible to it. Below are a few tips to avoid tarnish.

  1. Keep your jewelry dry. Don’t store it in the bathroom or wear it while you are working out. If it becomes wet due to hand washing or weather, dry your jewelry with a cloth.
  2. Store your jewelry carefully. Keep your jewelry in a closed jewelry box. If you have metal pieces that are especially susceptible to tarnishing, store them in a ziploc or other airtight bag. You can also store your jewelry with 3M Tarnishing Strips to keep tarnish away.
  3. Clean your jewelry. I primarily use 3 ways to clean my jewelry, which all work well for me. Which brings me to the purpose of this post, which is: 

3 Ways to Clean Your Brass Jewelry

Sunshine Cleaning Cloths (or other metal cleaning cloths)

After years of trying different methods, Sunshine Cloths have become my tried and true go to for cleaning jewelry. I use Sunshine Cloths to clean my brass before I make a new piece and also to clean my existing pieces.

How do Sunshine Cloths work? Impregnated with special micro-abrasives and a cleansing agent, both work together to clean jewelry pieces and leave a deep, long-lasting luster. The long-lasting cloth keeps effectively polishing until it is worn through. 

The tarnish from your jewelry will turn your cloth black, and once the cloth is covered in black residue, it’s time to throw it away. Sunshine Cloths are not to be washed. One cloth lasts quite a long time and obviously depends on how often you use it.

You can purchase Sunshine Cloths right here in the HolderIndustries store!

Click through the images below to see how I cleaned a badly tarnished pair of earrings using a Sunshine Cloth!

Penny Brite Cleaner

Penny Brite will get the job done. That said, it contains a lot of chemicals and can damage other surfaces. I learned this the hard way when I left the jar on my limestone bathroom counter and it left a permanent ring on the counter. If you don’t like using chemicals, I would steer clear of this product. But, if you’re set up to use chemicals or don’t mind them, Penny Brite will definitely make your jewelry super shiny and clean. I have found Penny Brite on Amazon and Fire Mountain Gems.

Ketchup

Yes, Ketchup! In the early days, I exclusively used Ketchup to clean my jewelry and brass supplies. It really works and is a great alternative if you don’t want to purchase one of the above options or would prefer to keep away from chemicals all together.

How does Ketchup work? It’s the salt and acidity in the ketchup itself that breaks down the tarnish. I’ve read that taco and Tabasco sauce will also meet your needs. I’ve seen some “how to” articles instruct the reader to soak their metal in Ketchup. Personally, I would just squirt a small amount of Ketchup onto a paper towel and wipe/scrub the jewelry gently. Rinse it off in the sink and dry completely with a soft cloth. Trust me, it works!

Note that you’ll find links to products throughout this article. I do not receive a commission or money for linking out to any of these products, other than the Sunshine Cloths sold in the HolderIndustries store.

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It’s Here! The 2019 HolderIndustries Gift Guide

When you buy a handmade gift from a small, woman owned business you are supporting someone’s dream. During my journey as a maker and small business owner over the past year-and-a-half, I have had the absolute pleasure of connecting with talented and delightful women, many of whom are still working their full-time day jobs and/or raising children while pursuing their own passions.

Here, I’ve curated a list of special gift ideas for your consideration. Read on and prepare to be inspired and awed by each of these women — and the love, blood, sweat and tears that have gone into their chosen areas of craft.

Copper + Sage Design

Owner and fiber artist Julia Martin creates gorgeous wall hangings made of wool yarn and dyes that she mixes herself. Each one of her beautiful pieces hangs from a wooden dowel or Oregon Sequoia branch. I connected with Julia when we were both featured artists at West Elm’s pop up this Fall. Though we were featured on different weekends, Julia messaged me when she saw me on West Elm’s Instagram feed. Since then, we’ve messaged and followed one another regularly. She is SO TALENTED.

Julia is self-taught in her craft and uses nature as her main source of inspiration. She is passionate about animal welfare and 10% of each sale goes towards finding a cure for Canine cancer. Find Julia on Instagram @CopperandSageDesign where you can follow her, connect to her Etsy shop and/or send her a direct message regarding a custom order.

I am planning my Copper + Sage Design custom order and can’t wait to hang her beautiful art in my home.

Detox by Design

I have known the woman behind Detox by Design for more than 15 years. I first met Megan Mikkelsen when we were wee graduate students at Portland State University. Since then, we’ve both embarked on our respective careers. Over the past few years, Megan has spun her passion for healthy and toxic free living into a business, Detox by Design.

Visit Megan’s website where you can sign up for her weekly newsletter and search for toxin free product recommendations. Megan represents a beauty line called Crunchi, which is toxin free, organic, and seriously awesome. I am a big fan of Crunchi’s foundation, blushes, highlighters, lip glosses… need I go on? The products smell wonderful and are some of the best quality I have ever used. Most importantly, they are completely safe, which is a difficult quality to find in beauty products. Megan also offers a vibrant Facebook Community and toxin free living consultations, which you can find on her website by clicking here.

I have learned so much from Megan and am grateful that I have a less toxic lifestyle because of her. If you’re looking for a unique gift for an eco-conscious friend or family member, head over to Detox by Design.

HolderIndustries

I couldn’t write a gift guide without plugging my own business, could I? For those of you who may not know me, I’m Cassie Buckroyd and I design and make all the pieces you see from HolderIndustries. My favorite material to work with is brass, but I also tinker in silver, gemstones and beaded jewelry. I use both prefabricated metal charms and pieces that I cut and hammer with my own two hands. Most of my creating happens in my home in Portland, Oregon or in my little mountain workshop in Rhododendron. I am mostly obsessed with making jewelry, but also dabble in snagging up vintage jewelry and home , which you can find in my Etsy shop.

You can find HolderIndustries on Etsy, in a few retailers in Portland and the Willamette Valley, as well as at some holiday markets in the coming weeks. Click here for a complete list!

Suffragette Studio

Rachel Delmotte is the () artist behind Suffragette Studio in Portland, Oregon. Rachel designs fun and beautiful cards, love notes and posters with messages in support of empowering all women. I have personally snagged up a few of her posters and several cards that I have given to friends and coworkers. Rachel is serious about advancing and supporting women and donates 20% of her proceeds to local nonprofits that do the same.

Wandering Clay Studio

To say I am obsessed with ceramics would be an understatement. I simply cannot get enough of it and stalk, err, follow, many local artists on Instagram and have curated several pieces for my home. I am especially fond of April McNamara and her artful pieces at Wandering Clay Studio. Her pottery features both bold geometric designs, as well as simple and classic. Her pottery is available in many forms –planters, vases, mugs, bowls, plates, serving platters, and more. You can find April’s art on her website and follow her on Instagram. She takes custom orders too!

Woman and Wolf

I connected with Virginia, of Woman and Wolf, at my very first jewelry show at Apolloni Vineyards in September of 2018 and got to see her again almost a year later at Wayward Winds Lavender Farm this past July. Virginia creates lovely skin care products using sustainably harvested ingredients sourced in Oregon, some from her own garden. A true believer in the power of plants, she creates her own recipes and decided that if she can grow and make her own food, she can do the same with her skin care products. Virginia has created a line of essential products that everyone should have on hand.

I have personally used her cleansing bars (heavenly), Rough Patch Restorative Rose Balm and Public Remedy CBD Oil on a roll. I keep her Happy Place essential oil on a roll and You Got This spray at work for those moments I need to take a deep, calming breath of something that smells delicious. And that’s quite often, these days. 😀

Shop Virginia’s delightful line at womanandwolf.co

 Z Candles Studio

Erica Zabudsky, the woman behind Z Candles Studio, has a passion for creating comfortable cozy spaces and believes that candles are an important element in creating that environment. Her hand poured candles contain 100% soy wax derived from domestic soybeans and come in modern amber glass jars. Z Candles are safe to burn, as there are no chemicals released into the air and the candle wicks are made from natural cotton and do not contain lead or zinc.

I have long been a fan of Z Candles and have several scents for my home and that I’ve given as gifts. My favorite scents include Citrus Boost, Oakmoss + Amber, Grapefruit, and Aloe + Green Tea. There are several gift combinations and options available and Erica is constantly coming up with new fragrances that I can’t wait to try. On my most recent visit to the Z Candles website, I noticed she is now carrying soaps! Submitting order in 3, 2, 1…

In addition to their website, Z Candles can be found in several Portland area retailers. For a complete list, click here.

Keep up with HolderIndustries by subscribing to our newsletter and following us on Instagram.

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Spring is in the Air!

One of my favorite parts of welcoming a new season is new fashion trends! I’ve been scoping out what’s hot this year, and 2019 is full of new and returning looks in accessories. If there’s one thing that all of these trends have in common, it’s that they all make a statement, adding that final touch to pull together any look.

celestial

Celestial
The stars have aligned and celestial themed jewelry is a huge hit this Spring! Jewelry showcasing beautiful suns, moons, and stars are everywhere and add a beautiful bohemian flair to your look.
To shop this look on HolderIndustries, click here.

Mixed Metal
It used to be that you were a gold person or you were a silver person, but not usually both and most definitely not together. The rules have changed and pieces mixing silver and brass, gold and platinum, copper and…. all metals are fair game and are hot this Spring. 

Lariat Necklaces
Maybe I’m the only person who has never heard of a lariat necklace, but I recently started seeing them everywhere and had to start making them immediately! A lariat necklace does not have a clasp or closure. It is fastened by threading one end through another, or by tying a knot in the jewelry. The style is dynamic, unique and beautiful!

Drop It Like It’s Hot

Drop earrings are sleek and sexy. One of my favorite looks for a good drop earring is the joining of two geometric shapes by a single, dainty link of chain. Like these brand new earrings listed in the HolderIndustries etsy shop!

Styles that Aren’t Going Anywhere…

Brass Everything